Garage door



/ June 8, 19737. i

A. BASILE ET AL GARAGE DOOR Filed April 9, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 8, 1937. A. BASILE ET A1.

GARAGE DOOR Filed April 9, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 8, 1937 UNITED ST'EES rara 'E @HQE Y GARAGE Doon Application April 9, 1936, Serial No. 73,537

2 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and usefulv improvements in. garage doors.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a garage door of the sliding type wherein the door that is formed of hinged sections is adapted to be slid in an upward and rearward direction to occupy a position in proximity to the roof of the garage and interiorly thereof when in open position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a garage door of the foregoing character that has counter-balancing weights connected thereto by means of chains or the like to facilitate operation of the door, the latter being preferably formed of two sections having a horizontal hinge connection that is tensioned to a degree to retain the door section in alignment when vertically disposed and closed, but of insufficient tension to resist a rearward swinging movement of the upper section of the door after the Same has started its tilting rearward movement toward open position.

A further object of the invention is to provide agarage door formed of horizontally hinged sections that are adapted to be slid upwardly and rearwardly to open position with guide tracks for the door sections for the support of the side edges of the door.

With the above and other objects in view that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a garage with the inner side of the garage door shown in elevation and further showing the counter-balancing weight for the door and the side guide rails having the side edges of the door overlapping the same;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 showing grooves in the outer side of the door for confining the counterbalancing weight chain;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1 showing the guard at the outer side of the garage door for the operating chain for the door latch at the inner side of the door;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Figure 1 showing an anti-friction roller carried by a side edge of the door for engagement with a guide track;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view with the garage doors in closed position; and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 with the garage doors in open position.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a garage including side walls E0, a roof II and a front door frame I2 in which the garage door that is formed of horizontally hinged sections is mounted for sliding movement in vertical and rearward directions either for closing the door opening or to occupya position adjacent the roof II of the garage when in open position.

The garage door may be formed of any number of sections desired, the same being illustrated as of the two-section` type and formed of upper and lower sections I 3 and I4 having a horizontal hinge connection I5 at their meeting edges. Coil springs I6 are associated with the hinge connection between the door sections to aid in maintaining the door sections in alignment when vertically aligned in closed positions as shown in Figures 1 and 5.3

Guides are associated with the vertical side edges of the door, vertical stiles I'I being secured to the door frame I2 with opposite side edges of the door sections overlapping the stiles I'I as" shown in Figure 2. The inner guides associated, with the opposite side edges of the door sections` are in the form of rails I8 slightly inclined from the vertical away from the stiles I'I as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the rails I8, each having a rear-` wardly inclined portion I9 that continues in a. rearwardly extending and slightly upwardly inclined door supporting rail section ZIJ. A stop 2| is arranged at the rear end of each rail section 20.

The door sections I3 and I4 slide between the front stiles I'I and the rear guide comprising the rail sections I8, I9 and 20 and have counterbalance elements associated therewith to aid in the opening and closing movement of the door. As shown more clearly in Figures l and 2, a chain wheel or sheave 22 is journalled in a bracket 23 depending from the garage roof II above the garage door opening and over which a chain 24 travels, a counter-balancing element being associated with each side edge of the garage door, A counter-weight 25 is attached to one end of the chain 24 and the other chain extends downwardly over the outer sides of the door sections I3 and I4 and is normally confined within longitudinally extending grooves 26 in the outer faces of the door sections, the open sides of the grooves 26 being closed by the guide stiles II while the end of the chain ls anchored to the lower door section I4 adjacent the lower end thereof.

To retain the garage doors in locked condition When closed as shown in Figures 1 and 5, a latch 2l is carried by the inner face of the upper edge of the door section I3 for engagement with a keeper on a head rail of the door opening, the latch 21 carrying an operating chain 28 that passes through an opening 29 to the outer side of the door as shown in Figure 3. A keeper or hood 30 overlies the free end of the operating chain 28 and access to the chain is prevented by the lock devices 3l. The garage doors may be opened from the innerside of the garage as the operating chain for the latch Z'I is exposed, but it is necessary to release the hood 3l] at the outer side of the garage doors to obtain access to the adjacent end of the operating chain 28.

When it is desired to move the garage doors from the closed position shown in Figure 5 to the open position shown in Figure 6, the latch 2'I is released and an upward movement imparted to the door sections. The upper edge of the upper door section I3 riding over the cam face of a bar 32 with which the door section is engaged when in closed position is moved rearwardly on its hinge connection I5 with the lower door section, continued upward movement of the door sections causing the upper door section I3 to engage the upper guide rails 33 for further pivotal movement, the weight of the door overcoming the pressure of the springs I6 with the door section I3 moving into engagement with the guide rail sections IS. In fully opened position, the door section i3 rests upon the rail sections 2li while the lower free end of the lower door section I4 is held suspended as shown in Figure 6 by the counterbalance mechanism.

Movement of the door is facilitated by anti-friction rollers 34 carried by the door sections for engagement with the guide rails. To close the door, a pull is exerted on the chain 35 carried by the lower edge of the lower door section l and the garage door is then returned to its vertically closed position, shown in Figures l and 5. When so disposed, the wedge blocks 3S carried by the inner sides of the lower door section Ill engage the lower guide rail sections I8 for moving the door section Ill into frictional engagement with the front guide stiles I'I, while the spring connections I6 between the door sections holds the upper door section I3 similarly engaged with the front guide stiles I'I.

From the above detailed description of the invention, it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent and while there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

We claim:-

1. In a door structure of the character described, a door frame having a door opening therein, a sectional door having horizontal hinge connections and being vertically and rearwardly slidable into and out of the door frame opening, rails for guiding the door sections in their movements with the opposite edges of the doors overlapping and riding directly on a pair of the rails, counter-balancing means associated with the doors to facilitate opening and closing movements including flexible elements attached to the door and trained over sheaves and weights on the other ends of the flexible elements, the flexible elements being disposed inwardly of the edges of the door at the outer side thereof, and

the door having guide grooves for the flexible elements in the outer face thereof adjacent each vertical side edge.

2. In a door structure of the character described, a door frame having a door opening therein, a sectional door having horizontal hinge connections and being vertically and rearwardly slidable into and out of the door frame opening, rails for guiding the door sections in their movements with the opposite edges of the doors overlapping and riding directly on a pair of the rails, counter-balancing means associated with the doors to facilitate opening and closing movements including flexible elements attached to the door and trained over sheaves and weights on the other ends of the iexible elements, the flexible elements being disposed inwardly of the edges of the door at the outer side thereof, the door having guide grooves for the flexible elements in the outer face thereof adjacent each vertical side edge, and guide stiles for closing the open sides of the grooves and retaining the flexible elements therein when the door is in closed position. 

